"No, please, you must use your full strength," Dekai said honestly.
"Hideki, did you hear that? He said it himself." Nawaki grinned, revealing a mouthful of white teeth. "Then I'll trouble you to be our referee."
Sarutobi Hideki frowned slightly, his gaze filled with a hint of worry. He didn't understand Dekai's strength, but he knew Nawaki's abilities all too well. Aside from being prone to underestimating opponents, Nawaki had a high talent in Ninjutsu, truly worthy of being Orochimaru's disciple. If he got serious, Dekai would lose very badly.
"Is this really a good idea?" Hideki couldn't help but advise, his gaze turning to Dekai. "We came to find Uchiha Hayato; fighting you isn't necessary."
"Of course." Dekai flashed his usual slightly mischievous smile and beckoned to Nawaki. "What, the future Hokage isn't scared of me, is he? If you lose to me, you'll be even more eager to challenge Hayato."
After a long period of interaction, he had become a loyal follower of Hayato. What if he was the First Hokage's grandson? Without a fight, no one would know their true strength.
"I understand." Seeing the raging anger in Nawaki's eyes, Hideki knew he couldn't dissuade him. Nawaki had been like this since childhood; once he got serious, ten of him couldn't change his mind.
"Then, both sides, assume the opposing hand seals..."
"No need, Hideki, let me be the referee." The three turned around as four young people slowly approached. The leading youth's clothing was emblazoned with the striking Uchiha flame fan.
Is this Uchiha Hayato? He really is a bit more handsome than him. Nawaki paused slightly, thinking unwillingly. But at this moment, he wasn't interested in Uchiha Hayato; he just wanted to teach the Dekai in front of him a lesson first.
"Dekai, have you learned that move?"
"Not fully mastered yet, but, soon."
Uchiha Hayato was referring to the TM Quick Attack and its derivatives.
Quick Attack was one of the first items he drew. As a good learning move, it could only be used three times. He and Minato each used it once. After Dekai changed, considering he had no Pokémon companion, Hayato gave him the last usage opportunity.
The effect was outstanding; after just one use, there were already signs of him learning it.
"When do we start?" Nawaki interrupted, listening to their conversation.
"Sorry, sorry, let's start now." Seeing Nawaki's impatience, Hayato could only go along with his wishes. He also wanted to see what level this named Ninja, who died from an explosive tag in the original story, truly was.
"Then, both sides, assume the opposing hand seals." Hayato and the others stepped back. "The moment this ball in my hand hits the ground, the battle begins."
The moment the red and white ball collided with the ground, Nawaki made his move.
"Wood Release Ninjutsu!"
Nawaki formed hand seals with both hands, and three thick wooden branches burst from the ground, extending and coiling towards Dekai.
"He's serious. Wood Release is the First Hokage's secret Ninjutsu; Nawaki wouldn't use it lightly," Hideki explained, his expression somewhat complex. "I don't understand why you don't advise your friend, but he can't defeat Nawaki."
Everyone looked at Nawaki's Ninjutsu. Is that Wood Release?
Minato narrowed his eyes. It didn't seem very powerful.
Uchiha Hayato secretly shook his head. Compared to the First Hokage's world-shaking Deep Forest Emergence, Yamato's Wood Release was like small saplings, and Nawaki's Wood Release could only grow a few thick wooden branches from the ground.
"As the Hokage's grandson, taken as a disciple by a Jonin from a young age, Nawaki must have many people's expectations resting on him," Hayato said to Hideki. "Sometimes, carrying too many expectations isn't a good thing."
"Although Nawaki has a secret Ninjutsu, Dekai also has Ninjutsu he's learned. One should never underestimate an opponent at any time," Hayato hinted. With Nawaki's talent, he might not become a Ninja like Senju Hashirama in the future, but his Wood Release surpassing Yamato, an transplanted product, was highly probable. Yet, he unfortunately fell into a trap and died.
Hideki frowned and remained silent. He watched Dekai dodging left and right in the arena and thought to himself, "What Ninjutsu does he know?"
Left, right, above.
Dekai dodged clumsily, narrowly avoiding Nawaki's wooden branches. Suddenly, a wooden branch rapidly attacked from behind, instantly wrapping around his waist.
"So this is all you've got?" Nawaki revealed a confident smile. This was a forest, making it even easier and more concealed to use Wood Release.
"Water Release: Water Bullet Jutsu."
"It's over." Hideki turned his head away, unable to bear watching the next scene. "He's controlled by Wood Release; how will he escape?"
"Is that so? The real battle is just beginning," Uchiha Hayato chuckled. "Dekai has learned it."
Dekai's body glowed with a dazzling white light, accompanied by crackling electrical sounds. The wooden restraints binding him burst apart.
"Thanks to the pressure you gave me, I was able to fully master it," Dekai said with a grim smile, unfastening the Power Bracer on his wrist. "I'll use this move to defeat you!"
His body vanished from its spot, suddenly closing in on Nawaki.
"So fast!" Nawaki's pupils constricted. Before he could react, Dekai's fist whistled towards him. Nawaki's body was sent flying far away, landing heavily on the ground with a "thump" and turning into a block of wood.
Nawaki's figure appeared to the side. His clothes bore scorched marks from the Quick Attack, and his eyes were filled with surprise and unwillingness.
"Impossible, how could he be so fast!" Sarutobi Hideki exclaimed, looking at Dekai, whose hair was slightly standing on end. "How did you learn the Hidden Cloud Village's secret Ninjutsu?"
"That's not a Hidden Cloud Village Ninjutsu; Hayato taught it to us," Minato calmly explained. "Quick Attack, a technique where one covers their entire body with electricity to strike an opponent. In Dekai's current state, he can maintain it for a maximum of ten seconds for a period of time."
"You can see it clearly?" Hideki asked, puzzled. At such high speed, he could only see an afterimage.
Minato Namikaze shrugged: "What's so special about that? The Hyuga Family's young lady can see it clearly too." He looked at Hyuga Ruri, who was staring at Dekai.
The young girl didn't know how much her words would impact Sarutobi Hideki.
"Ah, no, I can't see it completely clearly either," Hyuga Ruri said honestly. "If I continue to train my Byakugan, I should be able to."
"But Hayato, you should be able to maintain it for even longer, right?" Minato looked at Uchiha Hayato, his gaze sharp.
"Not for a very long time, maybe a minute," Hayato shook his head. He was afraid of shocking everyone, so he didn't reveal his true duration—three minutes.
After his battle with Uchiha Setsuna, he was very worried about his strength, so he ate all the experience candies he had drawn in one go, not leaving a single one for Chimchar.
Lightning Release could inherently stimulate the activity of all cells. Dekai, who had learned Quick Attack, was comparable in strength to Nawaki, but he had used a Power Bracer. Under weighted training, the growth he gained was even more significant.
Hideki had stopped speaking. He looked at the panting Nawaki, only hoping he would lose gracefully.
"Impossible, Earth Release..."
"Sorry, your hand seal movements are too slow."
Nawaki's vision went black, and a fist rapidly enlarged in his sight.